About the Vrikshalaya Center
"An ounce of practice is worth more than theory, and silence is often the best teacher."
Vrikshalaya means home of the trees in Sanskrit and Hindi, and here you will find a quiet and natural setting in the Himalayas to support your practice. The Vrikshalaya centre is in Majkhali village near Ranikhet in Uttarakhand at an altitude of about 1,800 metres.
For more than twenty-five years, Vrikshalaya has followed the principle that small is beautiful. We only offer three rooms and keep a simple vegetarian sattvik kitchen using seasonal vegetables, organic grains and local milk. Most guests come to deepen their own practices, such as meditation, nature immersion, yoga, tai chi or creative arts.
Local musicians visit us during festivals like Holi, adding warmth to the space. Visitors often say they feel supported, and the sense of community also contributes to the safe and calm atmosphere.
Small groups sometimes visit with their own teacher for residential retreats. We keep a fourth room next to the yoga hall for teachers. Many retreats grow from shared work between past visitors and the mentor in residence. Learning is mutual. The space suits people who want to focus and commit time to their practice.
We do not impose religious rules, dress codes or required activities. People bring their own practice or request guidance, and rely on direct experience. Group sessions may take place once or twice a day depending on the retreat. Sharing is optional.
Our principles
The Foundation for the Contemplation of Nature and the Vrikshalaya Himalaya Center welcomes everyone who shares our values and aspirations, regardless of background. Our mindfulness, meditation and contemplation of nature practice is not tied to any faith. Sessions have taken place in schools, open spaces, churches, temples and community centres. One session in a church in Santiago, Chile, led to a Spanish publication of our work in 2016.
Our work is based on three principles.
- The dignity of physical work
Mindful physical work supports wellbeing and a sense of community. All such work deserves respect. - Interdependence
Reciprocity and solidarity benefit both individuals and society. We share space, creativity and resources. - Interconnectedness
Understanding the links between all living and non-living beings helps us live with care.
Our aspiration
We envision a world where all people and beings can live in safety and compassion. Vrikshalaya supports personal transformation and mindful living in harmony with all life on Earth. Through immersion in nature, we cultivate awareness of interdependence - known as interbeing in the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh, and as intrinsic value in deep ecology. We believe that shared practice and a supportive community strengthens our motivation and inner transformation. Vrikshalaya offers this space with sincerity and care.
Our Steering Group
Ajay Rastogi
Founder and practioner-in-residence
Ajay Rastogi is a lifelong learner and practitioner. He trained as a yoga teacher in 2002 and as an advanced teacher in 2006 in the Sivananda tradition. He volunteered with Isha Foundation in its early years and attended three residential programmes, including an eight-day silence retreat. He has practised Shakti Chalan and Shunya, completed an intensive sadhana in Uttarkashi, and undertaken Vipassana courses. Ajay has also spent long periods in nature in Arunachal Pradesh, walked in the Nepal and Bhutan Himalayas, joined a Nanda Devi expedition and rafting journeys, and travelled widely to learn from indigenous communities. He has received several awards for his work, including South Asia Youth Leader, Erasmus Mundus Fellow and Fulbright Environmental Leadership Fellow. Ajay believes that solo and silent retreats in Nature have had the most lasting impact on his own personal transformation. The Vrikshalaya retreats reflect his own way of living and his wish to support others on a similar path.
Meera Devi
Caretaker and senior advisor
Meera looks after the heart of the Vrikshalya centre, the kitchen, the cow and the vegetable garden. She is known as Annapoorna for her care and attention to traditional, locally sourced ingredients. Annapoorna is a Sanskrit name meaning “giver of food” or “provider of nourishment.” Her home, the Majkhali Mud Home, is an example of earth construction and offers accommodation a short walk from Vrikshalaya. Meera is also a spokesperson, supporting local women in community-led initiatives and collective decision-making.
Raj Supe
Co-founder and senior advisor
Raj Supe is co-founder of the Foundation for the Contemplation of Nature, and a writer, poet, storyteller and novelist. He is an initiated devotee of Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath. After completing an MBA, he worked in advertising, research and consulting before focusing on literature and spirituality. His books include When Life Turns Turtle, Big Bappa and the memoir Pilgrim of the Sky. He has translated spiritual texts such as Cloudburst of Thousand Suns. He edits the spirituality e-magazine The Mother and lives simply in Rishikesh.
Ravi Kumar
Trustee and senior advisor
Ravi Kumar is Director of the India branch of the National Outdoor Leadership School and a trustee of the foundation. Trained as a mechanical engineer, his outlook has been profoundly shaped by decades of mountaineering, backpacking, and climbing. In 1988, he became the youngest Indian to summit Mount Kamet.
Ravi has led climbing expeditions across the Himalayas, North America, and Scandinavia, and has extensive experience in adventure education, risk management, and leadership training. His work integrates technical expertise with experiential learning, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and responsible leadership in outdoor and wilderness settings.
Tanya Kim
Strategist and senior advisor
Tanya Kim is a strategist, editor, writer and artist whose work explores deep ecology and human–nature relationships. She works with experimental video, writing and collaborative projects rooted in everyday life and reflective inquiry. With over twenty years’ experience in design and communications, she founded the Nordic by Nature podcast, created the Ecologies of Care framework and is developing the Activists’ Kitchen project. Her multicultural background, disabilities and neurodivergence shape a practice grounded in attentiveness, ethical engagement and a decolonial ecological perspective. She is a lay Plum Village practitioner, studying the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.